How close is the "Cyber Security Council Germany e.V." the Kremlin? The association, which was co-founded by the later BSI President Schönbohm, is also said to employ the German secret services. Apparently they've had their eyes on him and his chairman for a while.
According to a report by "Spiegel", the controversial Cyber Security Council Germany association was in the sights of German secret services. There was a long-term operation by the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), as the news magazine reports. In addition, the current chairman of the association and a person from the environment of the association were monitored by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).
According to the report, the investigations are about an uncritical proximity to Russia and possible connections to Russian secret services. According to information from the German Press Agency, the intelligence services have reported on details in the case several times in the secret parliamentary control committee of the Bundestag. According to reports, the security authorities were also annoyed that details were made public.
"As a rule, the Federal Intelligence Service does not publicly comment on matters relating to any intelligence findings or activities. This does not make any statement as to whether the facts of the case are correct or not," the BND said on request. "The Federal Intelligence Service reports on relevant topics, particularly those of the Federal Government and the competent, secretly meeting bodies of the German Bundestag."
Because of questionable contacts with the Cyber Security Council Germany, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser of the SPD had forbidden Arne Schönbohm from exercising his official duties as President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). Schönbohm recently performed at a celebration of the association's tenth anniversary - although he himself had been suggested several times to leave the "Cyber-Sicherheitsrat Deutschland e.V." distance and he had forbidden his employees to visit there. He co-founded the association, which advises companies, politicians and authorities on cyber security, in 2012 and says he is politically neutral. Schönbohm has now demanded formal disciplinary proceedings against himself, also because his appearance in the association had been approved by the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
The Cyber Security Council association was also criticized because the Berlin cyber security company Protelion was a member until recently. The company operated under the name Infotecs GmbH until the end of March. This is a subsidiary of the Russian cybersecurity company O.A.O.Infotecs, which, according to information from the research network Policy Network Analytics, was founded by a former employee of the Russian intelligence service KGB. In turn, he was awarded a medal of honor by Russian President Vladimir Putin for his work.
After the allegations became known, Protelion was expelled from the club. The allegations in the room are not compatible with the fight against cybercrime and the promotion of cybersecurity, said association president Hans-Wilhelm Dünn.
